Q1 2026 CRM Changes Summary
| CRM | What Changed | Current Pricing |
|---|---|---|
| Salesforce | ~6% annual price increases on renewals | $25–$350/seat/mo |
| Pipedrive | Rebranded: Essential→Lite, Advanced→Growth, Professional→Premium, Power→Ultimate | $14–$99/seat/mo |
| Close | Restructured to Solo/Essentials/Growth/Scale | $19–$149/seat/mo |
| HubSpot | No significant changes | $0–$3,600/mo |
| Zoho CRM | No significant changes | $0–$65/seat/mo |
| Attio | No significant changes | $0–$69/seat/mo |
| Freshsales | No significant changes | $0–$71/seat/mo |
Salesforce: The Quiet Annual Increase
Salesforce does not announce price increases with press releases. It builds them into renewal contracts. Most Salesforce agreements include a 3–7% annual escalation clause. For Q1 2026, many teams renewing saw approximately 6% increases on their per-seat costs.
Current list prices:Starter Suite $25/seat/month, Pro Suite $100/seat/month, Enterprise $175/seat/month, Unlimited $350/seat/month. These are list prices — many enterprise customers negotiate lower rates on multi-year contracts.
The real impact: A 25-person team on Enterprise ($175/seat/month = $4,375/month) seeing a 6% increase pays an additional $262.50/month ($3,150/year). Over a 3-year contract, that compounds. Teams locked into Salesforce often find switching costs exceed the price increase, making them captive to annual hikes.
What to do: If you are renewing, negotiate. Ask for a multi-year lock at current pricing. If the increase is significant, evaluate whether a CRM like Zoho CRM Enterprise ($50/seat/month) or HubSpot Professional ($890/month flat) could serve your needs at lower total cost.
Pipedrive: Rebranded Tiers, Similar Prices
Pipedrive rebranded its tier structure: Essential became Lite ($14/seat/month), Advanced became Growth ($39/seat/month), Professional became Premium ($49/seat/month), and Power became Ultimate ($99/seat/month). The pricing numbers stayed largely the same, but some features shifted between tiers.
What actually changed: The tier names and feature distribution. Some features that were on Advanced are now on Growth. Some Professional features moved to Premium. The net effect for most users is minimal, but if you relied on a specific feature, verify it is still in your tier.
What to do: Review the new feature list for your current tier. If a feature you use moved up, you either upgrade or find a workaround. The pricing itself did not change significantly, so this is a feature audit rather than a cost concern.
Close: New Plan Structure with Higher Entry
Close restructured from Startup/Professional/Enterprise to four tiers: Solo ($19/seat/month, 1 user only), Essentials ($49/seat/month), Growth ($109/seat/month), and Scale ($149/seat/month). The previous Startup plan had a lower entry point for small teams.
Who it affects: New Close customers and small teams. The Solo plan ($19/month) is limited to a single user. Teams of 2+ start at Essentials ($49/seat/month). At $98/month for 2 users, Close is now a premium inside-sales CRM rather than a startup-friendly option.
What to do:For solo users, Close Solo at $19/month is competitive. For teams, compare Close Essentials ($49/seat) against Pipedrive Growth ($39/seat) or HubSpot Starter ($20/seat). Close's built-in dialer and SMS justify the premium only if you do high-volume outbound calling.
The CRMs That Did Not Change
HubSpot: Free ($0), Starter ($20/seat/month), Professional ($890/month flat), Enterprise ($3,600/month flat). No changes in Q1 2026. The Starter-to-Professional gap ($20 to $890) remains the most dramatic price jump in the CRM market.
Zoho CRM: Free (3 users), Standard ($20/seat/month), Professional ($35/seat/month), Enterprise ($50/seat/month), Ultimate ($65/seat/month). Stable pricing and remains the best value for feature depth. Zoho rarely changes pricing due to its self-funded business model.
Freshsales: Free (3 users), Growth ($11/seat/month), Pro ($47/seat/month), Enterprise ($71/seat/month). Among the most affordable CRMs with AI features (Freddy AI). No changes in Q1 2026.
Attio: Free (3 seats), Plus ($34/seat/month), Pro ($69/seat/month). The next-gen CRM market remains stable as these tools focus on user acquisition rather than revenue optimization.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Salesforce always increase prices at renewal?
Most Salesforce contracts include an annual escalation clause of 3–7%. You can negotiate this out on multi-year deals, but it requires leverage (willing to switch, volume commitment, or timing the negotiation at quarter-end).
Will Pipedrive's rebrand change my bill?
No. The pricing amounts did not change significantly. The tier names changed and some features shifted. Check that features you rely on are still in your current tier under the new naming.
Is Close still worth it at the new prices?
For solo users doing outbound calling, the Solo plan at $19/month is excellent value with built-in dialing. For teams, Close at $49/seat is expensive compared to Pipedrive Growth ($39/seat) or HubSpot Starter ($20/seat), but the built-in phone system justifies the premium for high-volume inside sales teams.